Life Beyond the Minimum Safe Distance
by moviebuff001
Summary: Ch. 9 is up! Angie makes an inebriated visit to Rollie, then they end up going on mission together
1. 1

Title: Life Beyond The Minimum Safe Distance

Author: Carla

Rating: PG

Spoilers: None

Email: moviebuff001@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, and probably never will be L

Summary: Angie makes an inebriated visit to Rollie

Notes: Have you ever made-out while you were drunk, more fun than a roller coaster. That was the motivation for this story!  

Angie was not holding her liquor well.

Well, she was holding it and that was the problem: she had to go to the bathroom so badly. What was it about alcohol that made you need to go every ten minutes? Biology terminology swam around in her head…did it have something to do with sugar…

Thump. She hit the loft's door, correction _fell_ against the loft door.

Normally Angie didn't drink and even if she did, she was very careful and responsible. But tonight had been a little different, she had been set up on yet _another_ blind date but this guy was beyond belief. Let's just say the expensive bottle of wine he had ordered and that she had, had to pay for, wasn't nearly enough to get her through the dinner.

            She really didn't understand how someone could possibly talk about himself that much; literally he talked for over an hour about how much people liked his new haircut. It's only hair for the love of God!

            Needless to say, she hadn't even noticed how much she had drank, ordering drinks was the only talking she'd done all night, until she got up to leave.

            That's when the drunkenness had sunk in.

            Her date had left to go to the bathroom and never returned, leaving her with a hefty bill and no ride home. She didn't live too far away so she had decided to walk.

            When you're drunk, really bad ideas, sound really good.

            Unfortunately her bladder wasn't going to make it to her house and that's why she was here, leaning against Rollie Tyler's door 

            She searched through her purse to find the keys; she'd just sneak in, use the bathroom and go home. When she opened the door and went in, she realized it wasn't going to be so easy.

            Rollie was sitting right there, bottom of the steps, staring at her.

            She hadn't been that noisy had she?

"Hi," she said in her most casual voice.

            Rollie stood up and walked towards her, "Angie, what are you doing here?" He asked, not so kindly.

            'Right, next time remember you aren't actually part of his life, you just work for him,' Angie thought.

            "I, ah.." What _was_ she doing there again. "Bathroom." Rollie looked at her strangely. "I. Need. To. Use. The. Bathroom." She punctuated every word.

            "Angie are you drunk?"

            Wow, he was being very observant tonight.

            "Nope," she walked towards him, more stumbling than walking but at least she was moving.

            Rollie hurried towards her, helping her over to the couch. "Angela, why were you drinking?"

            Man, he had sexy eyes, all dark and deep, the rest of his body wasn't bad either, in fact she wouldn't mind seeing some of that now…Had he asked her a question?

            She went to raise her head but it had suddenly got very heavy and fell backwards. "My head's fallen and it can't get back up." Angie thought her joke was hilarious and started giggling.

            Rollie wasn't finding this too amusing, he knew Angie hardly ever drank and he could count the number of times she'd been drunk on one hand.

            "Didn't you have a date tonight?"

            Angie laughed again, "Oh, you mean Mr. My Eyes Are Actually Three Shades of Blue?" She smirked and stood up, "I am now going to powder my nose." She announced.

            As Rollie watched her leave, he busied himself with getting her a glass of water. It was so out of character for her to get drunk but, he resided, she was a grown woman and therefore, he couldn't pretend she was just a little girl. 

            Throughout the last couple of months, he'd begun realizing that more and more. Sometimes when he looked at her, though he would never admit it, she struck a feeling in him that was not remotely brotherly.

            When Angie walked back out, that feeling was struck again. She was wearing a navy blue spaghetti strap dress, with a neck line that enhanced her breasts ever so well. It came to just above her knees, flattering her long legs that were only intensified by the high, strappy shoes.

            Rollie pulled his attention away from her body, to her face, which was just as equally enchanting. She only wore a bit of make-up, making her eyes even bluer and her lips fuller.

            "Rollie?" Angie asked in a sing song voice, noticing him staring off into space at what seemed to be her.

            Rollie jerked his attention away from her physicality, "Are you feeling better?"

            Angie hunkered herself down on the couch, curling her legs up beside her, unknowingly pulling her dress up even further. "Much, thank you."

            Rollie sat down next to her, "Angie, is everything alright."

            Ugh, sometimes he was so dense, "I just told you, I had a bad date and I accidentally drank too much." 'And at this moment, I would really love to taste your lips,' she added in her head. "And you know, I deserve some time to just let loose," she flung her arms out, causing her to loose balance and fall into Rollie's shoulder.

            He smiled at her, when had she become so beautiful? Her face was snuggling into his neck, whether she was aware of it or not. Her lips were barely inches away from his, so close, one move of the head and…

            "I have to go," Angie stood up quickly, teetering a bit.

            Rollie grabbed her hand, "Angie wait." He pulled her back down to the couch but again she lost her balance and fell onto him.

            She would later think it was probably on purpose but she angled her mouth to touch his as she tried to straighten back up. What started as a brush of the lips, quickly turned into something much more intense.

            Rollie's hand moved from her arm up to her face, cupping her cheek and causing the kiss to deepen. Angie opened her mouth, as they shifted positions on the couch, him underneath and her on top.

            Hands tangled in each other's hair, as tongues intertwined and breath got hotter and heavier.

            Minutes..hours past without notice, until Rollie finally stopped, afraid of where this was going to lead to.

            "Angie, wait. We can't do this."

            Angie was off of him and the couch in seconds, "You're right, it was a mistake. Forget about it." She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice as she almost ran to the door.

            "Angie, wait," Rollie was after her in a flash, "I just meant-"

            The door slammed in his face, "Not right now."

            Rollie slumped down on the stairs, how the hell was he ever going to fix this?

            Outside, Angie walked as fast as possible away, tears streaming down her face.  How the hell was she ever going to forget this?


	2. 2

Title: Life Beyond The Minimum Safe Distance

Author: Carla

Rating: PG

Spoilers: None

Email: moviebuff001@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, and probably never will be :(

Summary: Angie makes an inebriated visit to Rollie

Notes: Have you ever made-out while you were drunk, more fun than a roller coaster. That was the motivation for this story!  

Why couldn't the world just open up and swallow her? Why couldn't aliens zoom in from the sky and abduct her?

            Why did it have to be a workday?

            Angie parked her car into the studio lot, seriously considering calling in sick, but then he'd know that she was upset, which she wasn't…

            She'd just go about her business without looking at him and with minimal eye-contact as possible. She could do this, this was easy.

             Yeah and so is climbing Mount Everest.

            Rollie had come in early because he couldn't get any sleep last night, he'd also been hoping he could talk to Angie about last night.

            He saw her coming into the warehouse but she detoured instead of walking in front of him. She quickly set up her equipment, completely ignoring his presence when he stood in front of her.

"Angie," he began.

"I don't think we're going to be able to shoot the jump today, we only have so much sunlight and I think that the-"

Rollie cut her off, "We need to talk."

"About what?" She kept her eyes on the Ambler, pushing buttons, more for show than necessity.

            "Angie, don't do this."

            "Rollie," she dared to look at him, "Let's just pretend _that_ never happened."

            Rollie had fully expected her to say that and he wasn't about to leave it at that.

            "Rollie," the director called to him, "Can I get you to come over here?"

            Rollie sighed and then looked back at Angie but she was already half way across the building.

            Rollie reluctantly got to work but he spent half the day watching Angie and the other half thinking about her.

            He didn't know why he felt such a strong need to resolve this problem, Angie's friendship meant a lot to him but that wasn't all…

            Sometimes you meet someone and 'bang', your instantly enthralled with them but then as time goes on you like them less and less.

            And then sometimes you meet someone and there's no flash of lightning, no signs from the gods above. Then one day, it hits you like a tornado strikes an unsheltered cow and you suddenly can't live without the person.

            But unfortunately until the tornado picks you up, your absolutely clueless, you have no plans, no idea of what to do, just 'ding and he's down for the count.'

            Angie was in the same boat, sort of…She had already had that 'bam, wham, thank you Ma'am,' hit of realizing her feelings, long before. Her problem now was what to do since he knew her feelings.

            Hiding was not an option, he had a key to her apartment. But then again, maybe he didn't know how she felt about him. Maybe Rollie just thought she'd been drunk and that was that. Unfortunately from the way he was acting, she doubted that was true.

            At the end of the day, they packed up the van but before Angie left to go to her car, Rollie called her from inside the van.

            "Yeah?" she asked. 'Please let this be about work, please let this not be about last night,' she silently pleaded.

            "Angie…I…"

            "Here you guys are," Mira Sanchez said, coming into the van, "I've been looking all over for you." It was obvious from the soft glint of sweat on her forehead that it had been an urgent search. "We need some help from you."

            Rollie waved her off, a first for him Angie noted. "Not now Mira," he said sternly.

            Mira looked at him strangely, if this hadn't been so important she would have left as quickly as she had come in but unfortunately… "I'm really sorry but we need you two to go sort of undercover."

            Rollie was about to object again, but Angie spoke first, "_Sort of_ undercover?"

            "You two are invited to a weekend party at a place that we'd love to get our hands on. We need you in there, so we can get in."

            Rollie turned around from the back of the van, "What party?"

            "You probably don't know about it yet but Derek Edison is a big fan of yours and he's invited you to his mansion for the weekend. He also happens to be one of New York's largest suppliers of cocaine. We need you to be our eyes and ears, so we can take him down."

            "Why do we both need to be there?" Even if he decided to go, there was no way he was getting Angie involved in something this dangerous. 

            Mira sighed, it hadn't passed her attention that the two of them had been in some sort of conflict before she entered the van. "He, for some reason is under the impression that you two are married or engaged or something."

            Rollie laughed, "What?"

Mira handed them the invitation the NYPD had so graciously got from Rollie's mailbox. It read:

Dear Mr. Rollie and Angie Tyler

You have been cordially invited to

spend the weekend at Mr. Derek Edison's home

in celebration of the upcoming nuptials 

of friends

Thomas Kidder 

and 

Meredith Burrow.

            It went on to give instructions to the house and further details of the weekend but nowhere on it was there an RSVP, it seemed to be expected that everyone would come.

            "I have to go, think about it and get back to me tonight." Mira said, leaving the van.

            Yeah, they'd definitely be thinking about it.


	3. 3

Title: Life Beyond The Minimum Safe Distance

Author: Carla

Rating: PG

Spoilers: None

Email: moviebuff001@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, and probably never will be 

Summary: Angie makes an inebriated visit to Rollie

Notes: So you may have to use some suspended belief here, let's just pretend that no one knows that Rollie and Angie help work for the police. Also I'm looking for a beta-reader, if anybody is up for the task e-mail me!            

            "Rollie, we need to do this," Angie told him as he opened the door of the loft to her.

            Rollie didn't respond, he just stared at her. She was usually the one that told _him_ not to get involved with the police.

            She didn't wait for him to move out the doorway, she just brushed past him to the computer, inserting a disk. "I was looking at the information on this guy and he's not just into drugs. He's suspected of being involved in prostitution, car theft, the black market and weapons dealing." 

            Rollie sighed, "Angie drugs are bad enough, I don't want to get involved with something like this, it's too dangerous."

            Angie stared at him, it was not the response she had been expecting, he was usually excited about getting involved in something _dangerous. She turned back to the computer, typing on the keyboard, bringing up the blueprints of Derek Edison's mansion. "Will you at least look at this?" She moved out of the way so Rollie could examine the house._

            "This guy's got an elevator going to a sub-level two hundred feet below the ground andonly a keypad, securing the elevator."

            "Well that and two big guards but I'm sure we can get past that." She informed him as she leaned into the computer, "Check this out though." She hit another button, changing the screen to a zoomed in version of the third floor. 

            "Secret passageway."

            Angie smiled, "I wonder what's behind that door."

            Rollie turned away from the computer, the familiar rush of adrenaline was building up, one that he always got before doing a big stunt for a movie or whenever he helped out the police and things got really tight.

            "Angie…I don't know, it's risky."

            Angie sighed, she knew that was too true, they could easily be caught or worse this could be a trap. "Rollie we are the only one's who can do this. This might be the only chance the police get to catch this guy."

            Rollie walked over to the couch and sat, immediate memories of what had happened there only last night, flooded back.  That was the other reason he was so apprehensive about this job, he still hadn't figured out what he felt for Angie and he was sure that them being thrown together for a weekend wouldn't help.

            But then again, this morning, Angie wouldn't even talk to Rollie and now they seemed to be back on track to normal, he didn't want to screw that up. She was right about them being the only ones for this job, plus they were invited to this party anyways, it would be rude not to go.

            "Alright, " he paused pointing his finger at her, "But if anything starts to seem a little off, then we are out of there."

            Angie nodded, she too was reminded of what had happened last night and now she was having second thoughts about this. But they'd already made up there minds and now they had to get busy and start planning.

            Plus, how bad could pretending to be Rollie's girlfriend be?


	4. 4

Title: Life Beyond The Minimum Safe Distance

Author: Carla

Rating: PG

Spoilers: None

Email: moviebuff001@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, and probably never will be 

Summary: Angie makes an inebriated visit to Rollie

Notes: So you may have to use some suspended belief here, let's just pretend that no one knows that Rollie and Angie help the police. Also I'm looking for a beta-reader, if anybody is up for the task, e-mail me.

Several weeks later 

            Angie gracefully stepped out of the limo, taking Rollie's arm and stared up at the house in front of her. 

House, yeah right, more like a castle. 

The three-storey, grey house was encircled by a fifteen foot stone wall and iron gates, along with a guard every twenty feet. As guests arrived they were treated to a luggage search and a metal detector but past all of that was where the interesting part was.

Derek Edison

He was probably about as tall as Rollie but his posture and gestures made him seem taller, more powerful. All attention was draw to him and it was obvious that he didn't mind it. He was wearing what Angie assumed to be an Armani suit, perfectly pressed and fitted. His dark, almost black hair, was slicked back, not a strand falling from its spot. As they moved closer to the house in the line of guests, Angie saw his eyes were a piercing blue that complemented his charming smile, which he was using ever so effectively on one of the female guest's. If Angie didn't already hate him, she might have been slightly attracted to him, as were all the other guests.

As Rollie looked around at the line of guests, entering the house, he saw everyone from A-list actors to rich stockbrokers to famous musicians and men who Rollie recognized to be high up in the mafia. Rollie couldn't think of a thing these people had in common, besides Edison and Rollie was sure that this was going to be one very interesting and dangerous weekend.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tyler," Edison stuck out his hand after they had been cleared through security.

Rollie shook the man's hand, "We're actually not married," he told him, but didn't clarify further.

Edison's attention fell on Angie, "I'm so sorry, my information must have been wrong," he kissed her hand.

Angie hid her disgust, "We're not married…yet." She said as kindly as possible, she didn't want this guy getting any ideas.

Edison smiled charmingly, "Well, when that time comes, I wish you the best of luck." He turned to Rollie, "You are a very lucky man, Mr. Tyler."

Rollie wanted to punch the guy square in the face, he wasn't sure why though. He wrapped his arm around Angie, pulling her into him, "I think so."

Edison smiled again and then turned to the next people in line, giving Angie and Rollie a polite dismissal to go get changed for the party later.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love sniveling scum like him?" Angie said, through clenched teeth, pretending to smile.

Rollie just smiled at her as they followed one of the servant's up to their room, he was distracted by what Edison had said, that Rollie was lucky to have Angie. He knew it was probably just some b.s. flirtation towards Angie but it struck a cord in him.

Everything had pretty much gone back to normal, they completely ignored the kissing incident and now almost everything was okay. 

Almost.

Rollie didn't look at her the same, he couldn't, a part of him had been shook awake and he could not stop thinking about her in a new light. Every time she walked into the room, his eyes were drawn to her, she was no longer just _there, when she was in the room she had all of his attention._

He looked over at her now, she was looking incredibly beautiful in a light blue, knee length dress, with a neckline that drooped just enough to mock him. That was another thing, whenever he looked at her now, his attention was drawn to her luscious lips, her enchanting blue eyes, her long legs, her…If he didn't snap out of it he was going to get them both killed.

When they got to their room, which was more of a suite, they found a living room with a massive bedroom and bathroom and large balcony with a view of central park. Angie could have leapt for joy when she saw the massive jetted tub in the bathroom. That and the huge king sized bed could make for a very relaxing weekend, if she wasn't here to work. A quick image of her sharing the tub _and_ the bed with a certain someone, flashed in her mind but she quickly pushed it away. _Work, work, work_, was her new mantra.

As soon as the young servant left, Rollie took out what looked like a calculator but was really a bug detector. He walked around the room, pretending to be doing some figures from a piece of paper he was holding. A tiny red light went off as he walked over to the door, there was a listening device about the door.

"What do you think of the room, love?" Rollie asked, walking over to Angie.

She got the hint when he tapped her ear, "It's amazing." 

Rollie walked into the bedroom, taking the bug detector with him, "And you say I never take you anywhere," he called back.

Angie rolled her eyes at him, as she pulled out what looked like a make-up compact, but was actually a video screen, that was hooked up to the cameras she had brought with her.

---------------------------------------

_"What does this look like?" Angie asked Mira, holding up her index finger._

_Mira stared at Angie, "A finger?"_

_Angie took what looked like a clear piece of tape off her finger and placed in Mira's hand then turned the compact video screen towards her._

_"Wow, is it detectable?" Mira asked, staring at the practically invisible camera._

_"Not by most detector's, these things are very new, they're not even on the market yet but even if they are detected," Angie placed it on the wall and it disappeared into it's surroundings, "No one will know what they are looking for."_

_----------------------------------------------_

Rollie came back into the room, looking fairly disappointed, without talking to Angie, he disappeared into the bathroom. After a minute he came out again. 

"Have you seen the bathtub in here?" He asked Angie, motioning his head towards the bathroom, Angie followed him back in.

Only after closing the door and turning on the shower, Rollie finally spoke quietly, "He's got a listening device in the front room and a camera in the bedroom but nothing in here."

Angie sighed, she had hoped that they would at least have some privacy in their room but it looked like they weren't going to catch a break. She also knew that they'd have to sleep in the same bed, though she had pretty much been expecting that, plus it wasn't like this was the first time they'd had to share a bed. But this time she was much older and very much more aware of the person sleeping beside her.

"Well, at least we get to pretend this is vacation all the time." Angie pointed to the shower, "Do you mind?"

Rollie nodded his head and left her to get ready for the evening's party. It was a good thing there weren't any cameras in the bathroom or he might be expected to jump into the shower with her.

That would just be _such a chore._


	5. 5

Chapter 5

            "So have you ever worked with Tom Cruise?" The well-endowed blonde asked Rollie.

            He smiled politely, hoping Angie would return soon, "We mostly do more low-budget films."

            The blonde looked disappointed but didn't leave, her eyes checked him over again, evidently happy with what she saw, "You know, when this little party's over, I could really use a swim in that huge pool. Want to join me?" She gave him a look that didn't leave anything to the imagination of what she wanted.

            Rollie desperately searched the crowd for Angie, he eyed in her on the other side of the room, "I better get back to my fiancée, excuse me." Rollie moved quickly away before the blonde could say any more.

            When he reached Angie she was engaged in conversation with a tall, handsome man. Jealousy sparked in Rollie but he ignored it, smoothly he wrapped his arm around Angie, kissing her head…only for appearances of course.

            "Here you are, love."

            Angie turned to face the Aussie, glad to see him, "Hi." She held his gaze a little too long, heat flushed to her cheeks. She turned to the man she was talking to, "Rollie you remember Colin Bennet, he worked with us on "Death's Door." 

            Now that Rollie looked closer, he recognized the man, but it didn't put him at ease. He remembered him, he was quite the ladies man, he'd constantly boasted to Rollie about the number of women he'd _had_ on the set. He'd even made a pass at Angie at one time, something Rollie was sure he was attempting again.

            "Of course," Rollie moved his hand from Angie and shook the man's hand. "How are you?"

            The guy's grin was a little too forced, "Excellent. And I hear you're doing quite well for yourself, snagging Angie here." Colin put his arm over her shoulders, pulling her to him. "I always thought she was one of the prettier girls in New York."

            Angie smiled politely but rolled her eyes to Rollie when Colin let her go, "Thanks."

            Something caught Colin's attention on the other side of the grand room, "Will you excuse me, I see someone I must introduce myself to." He picked up Angie's hand, giving it a quick kiss. "You're a lucky devil Rollie."

            Once he was gone, Angie stuck her tongue out, "That guy's got an ego that would fill this room." She wiped the hand he'd kissed on her dress.

            Rollie was much too relieved that Colin hadn't seduced her in anyway but then again, why should he care if some slimeball seduced her? 

Rollie heard the music coming on louder from outside where a band was playing on the patio, "Do you want to dance?"

            Angie smiled, all for appearance sake right? "Sure." 

            Rollie led her outside, where the sun was just setting but the air was still warm with the slight aroma of the surrounding flowers. He placed his hands on her hips, while the slow melody of "The Very Thought of You" played. Angie lightly placed her hands around Rollie's neck, careful to leave space between their bodies.

            As the music drifted on, their bodies slowly moved together, as Rollie's hands moved from Angie's hips to the small of her back, sending shivers up her spine. Her fingers slowly dug under the collar of his navy blue dress shirt, feeling his warm skin under her hands. She laid her head on his shoulder, covering the last tiny inch between the two of them. Her stomach was pressed tightly against the belt on his black pants and she could feel his tight stomach muscles beneath his shirt pressed against her body.

            She was starting to feel a little lightheaded and she was sure it wasn't the champagne. She was grateful that Rollie was holding her so tightly because she was afraid her knees might go at any minute. His scent, his breath in her ear, his body melding to her, was driving her senses crazy and all she could think about was wanting to taste his lips again, to run her hands through his hair.

            Rollie was distinctly aware of the backless dress Angie was wearing, as his hands lightly danced across her bare skin. He wasn't ignorant to the feeling of her chest against his body and the absence of a bra. It was taking a monumental amount of strength to not lift her head off his shoulder and kiss that beautiful mouth until they were both breathless. 

            Even though it had been almost of month, he could still feel her lips on his, how her tongue had laced with his. He wanted to feel more of her bare skin against his, to trace her body with his lips…

            It was becoming so stuffy suddenly that Rollie could barely breathe but he wouldn't move away from Angie. Instead he moved his face into her hair, taking a deep breath of it, his lips brushed the skin behind her ears, enticing a small sigh from Angie's lips. 

            "May I cut in?" Derek Edison couldn't have picked a worse time.

            Angie took a steadying breath before looking up at Edison, thinking he might see the arousal all over her face. She politely smiled at him, her eyes never meeting Rollie's.

            Rollie wanted to smash the criminal's face in but refrained, "Of course." He let go of Angie not looking at her and quickly went over to the bar.

This was going to be a long weekend. 


	6. 6

Chapter 6

            It was a quarter to ten by the time Angie had hidden most of the cameras on the walls and by the doors. She wanted to get some on the third floor by that secret entrance she'd found in the blueprints but when she'd snuck up there, a guard was posted in the hall, so she couldn't even get close.

            She'd avoided Rollie after the dancing incident but only because she was working or so she told herself. Her body still got hot when she thought of the way he had held her, the way his lips grazed over her skin and how perfectly their bodies seemed to fit together. 

            Still, every time she thought of it, she remembered the way Rollie wouldn't even look at her after, he'd just bounded off at the first chance he got and gone off with that blonde, Angie had seen him talking to earlier. She knew she wasn't one of the prettier women here but she thought maybe Rollie could have pretended to like her. After all, they were supposed to be a couple.

            It had been over an hour since Rollie had wondered outside with that dim-witted wench and she hadn't seen the couple since.

            Of course she wasn't jealous, she was just mad because she had, had to do all the work with the cameras, while he'd been off romanticizing the bimbo.

            The guests had slowly started to go back up their rooms or to the Olympic sized pool and hot tub. Angie decided she could use a swim, _no use putting a vacation to waste, she thought, as she climbed into her bathing suit and went back downstairs._

            There were two pools, three if you counted the small one inside, but most people, not seeing the blueprints of house beforehand, didn't know of the other pool on the far side of the property. Angie thought it might be a good idea to put some cameras along the way and by the pool. She had yet to activate the signal from the cameras to a police van, three blocks away, as all the cameras had to be up and she still wanted some in the basement and the third floor.

            The pool was empty when she got there, as was the surrounding area, giving Angie the whole vicinity to herself. She stripped down to her bikini and climbed the ladder into the cool, clean water. She dunked her head and swan smoothly from one side to the deeper end, then back again. 

She wasn't sure how many laps she'd done when she ran into something with her head. Bringing her head out of the water, she realized it was a body, the body of Rollie.

"Some people said you might be down here," Rollie said, suppressing a grin.

Angie swam to the edge, as they were in the deep end. "I thought I'd check out the scenery," It was their code, meaning that she'd set up the cameras.

Rollie nodded, he reached for the wall, unconsciously moving closer to Angie, "I think we need to talk." His attention wasn't on talking though, as much as he wanted it to be, it was on how Angie looked with her hair and face dripping wet and the bikini she was wearing, currently hidden by the water.

Angie tried not to notice how close Rollie was to her or how dark his chest looked underneath the water, "Okay."

"Ang…I just…ah, bloody hell, I don't know," he stammered out.

"Listen Rollie," she dared to place her hand on his shoulder, "We were just playing a part and we just too involved with acting that we forgot what was real and what wasn't." _'Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit,' a voice in Angie's head sang._

"Just forget about it then?"

Angie nodded, in an effort to lightly the mood, she challenged him, "I'll raise you to the other."

Rollie burst into a smile, "I don't know there little missy," he said with a Texas twang, "I reckon I could clear the pool before you got half way across it."

Angie smiled, "Your on," and she took off.

"Brat," Rollie muttered, taking after her.

Rollie caught up to her and friendly pulled her ankle back, allowing him to sail past her. But she recovered fast, almost gaining back the lead, when he shot in front of her, blocking her path.

There were almost in the shallow end when Angie stopped swimming and yelled at him, "You cheat!"

Rollie swam back to her and Angie jumped up on him, dunking his head under water but he snaked his arms around her and pulled her down with him. They came up quickly, both trying to gain ground on each other, Rollie won, pushing Angie back down and lifting her up, his arms to still tightly around her.

He was suddenly aware of her bare legs, intertwined with his, of her arms, holding tightly around his neck, of her practically bare chest against his. Her lips were wet with water and after a moments thought, he lightly brushed his lips across hers.

Angie's stomach lurched at the connection, making her feel dizzy and hazy. She slowly opened her mouth to him, deepening the kiss, letting her tongue glaze over his lower lip. Her hands floated over his wet, dark hair, pressing her fingers against the base of his neck, slowly massaging the muscles.

They kissed lightly as they kicked their legs over to the shallow end. Rollie raised his head to look her directly in the eye, asking her approval, the look she gave him back, more than satisfied his question. He pressed Angie against the side of the pool, pushing his body into her. She was the one to raise her head and give him a fiery kiss that he felt all the way to his loins. 

********************************************************

"Hey Mira, we're tapped into Edison's outside security cameras." Francis Gatti told his partner, showing her the screen.

Mira moved over to the other side of the van, "I thought we couldn't get into those?"

"They're on a different frequency or something, so that's why we can only get the outside ones."

As Gatti scanned through the various cameras and their angles, Mira searched for Rollie and Angie. "Stop, is that…?" Mira burst out laughing, Gatti followed seconds after. "Oh my God, that's Rollie and Angie. Well, somebody owes me twenty bucks." Mira laughed again.

"It took them long enough to get together though," Gatti couldn't have been happier for the two.

Mira happily laughed again, "Okay, okay, we should give them their privacy, change the channel." 

***************************************************

Completely unaware of what had just happened, Angie's legs wrapped around Rollie, pushing her pelvis into his, as one of his hands rose up to touch the fabric of her top. He dropped his head, lightly sucking on her neck, tracing the lines in her neck with his tongue, as his hand lightly grazed her nipple under the fabric.

"Rollie," she moaned.

Rollie pushed the straps of her top off, revealing her naked breasts, "God your beautiful Angela." He was about to lower his head to taste her, when he stopped, "I don't want to do this here."

Angie's eyes cleared and she nodded her head in agreement, fixing her top, Rollie helped her out of the pool.

The air had cooled significantly and with the cold air, Angie's doubts wore in. She refused to lose her best friend over a night of, probably great, sex. And couldn't this be just a product of their situation? Here they were, pretending to be married, like she'd said before, could it not be entirely possible this would just end up as an uncomfortable situation later? She didn't have to wonder long…

"Rollie!" The blonde bimbo, Angie had seen with Rollie before, walked up to them. "I've been looking all over for you. You still up for that swim?" The women completely ignored Angie, instead checking Rollie over obviously. "Though I see you've already been."

Angie didn't want to here anymore of this, "Excuse me, don't let me keep you," she muttered, quickly walking into the house.

Rollie bypassed the women and ran quickly to Angie, "It's not what you think."

Angie spun around so quickly it had Rollie taking a step back, "It shouldn't matter what I think now should it?" Her voice was a hiss.

"No, well yes, it's…Angela," but she'd already walked back up the stairs to their room.


	7. 7

Chapter 7

            Rollie woke up to an empty bed in the morning, not that he should have noticed that anyone had slept in it. When he came into the room the night before, Angie had been getting ready for bed in the bathroom and hadn't said one word to him when she finally came to bed. He hadn't been able to sleep much with her body lying beside him, oh yeah, he noticed she was there and so did the rest of his body.

            He felt like absolute scum, he wasn't sure how he'd done it but he knew Angie was mad at him. He knew it had something to do with that blonde that had been trying to get his attention all night but that was completely innocent, he hadn't said more than a few words to her and even less time with her.

            Rollie realized it had probably looked bad when she had followed him outside but he had brushed her, politely, off and gone to check over the property. He guessed that Angie didn't know that and thought he'd been off with that woman. But how could she think that! Especially when he was sleeping right next to the only person he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

            Whoa, wait a minute when had that happened? He thought back, remembering when they'd first met, through her dad, to the day that he had died and then the night he'd almost lost Angie when someone had frozen her, keeping her barely alive. Then that first kiss…that was something he'd never forget, as long as he lived. Every touch, smell, taste, was all so strong in his memory that he could imagine being there right now.

            He was in love with her, he admitted to himself. He had been long before that kiss, he just hadn't known it.

            But now he had no idea what to do about it, what exactly was he going to say and…what if she didn't feel the same? That would ruin their friendship forever, was he willing to risk it on a hunch?

            Rollie quickly showered and dressed, all the while thinking about what he was about to risk. When he headed downstairs to the morning brunch, he spotted Angie sitting alone at a corner table. She was too involved with looking outside that she didn't see Rollie sit down across from her.

            "Morning," his voice, surprisingly, caught. Could he actually be nervous?

            Angie glanced at him, then turned her attention to back outside, "Morning," her voice was cold.

            Rollie wasn't discouraged, "Did you sleep well?" He hadn't and he expected the same was for her. 

            "Fine." She lied, she hadn't slept hardly a wink with his body lying so close to hers. She took a deep breath, "We need to talk."

            Without waiting for his answer she put her coffee cup down and walked up to their room. She then went into the bathroom, closed the door after him and turned on the shower.

            Before she could even start, Rollie spoke, "Ang, whatever you think I have going on with that woman, you're completely wrong."

            Angie almost laughed, "So you _do _have something going on with her."

            Rollie stared at her a second, "What?"

            This time Angie did laugh, "I ran into her this morning and after a sort of…confrontation, she told me that, hard as she tried, she, ah…couldn't get you." In fact she'd told her that he hadn't been able to take his eyes off Angie but she didn't need to tell him that. "And anyways I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted last night, it was unprofessional and it'll never happen again."

            He wasn't sure what event she was talking about specifically but he wasn't about to let this go. "Angie…" she started walking away but he grabbed her hand. "Jesus Angie, don't walk away from me. Don't walk away from…this." 

She backed up so her back was to the door, "Rollie, its okay I won't let this effect our friendship, we can go back to normal," she was trying hard not to cry.

Rollie took a quick step to her, pushing the door closed when she tried to get out, "Angie, I'm in love with you." He was close to yelling.

Angie spun around, staring wide-eyed at him, "Wh-what?"

Rollie had laid both his hands on the door, trapping her, he took one off, rubbing the knuckle across her cheek, he bent his head down so his lips were in front of hers. "I love you."

Damned up tears ran down her face, her hands reached up to frame his face, "Oh God…I love you too."

They stood staring at each other, smiling, until Rollie spoke again, "I know there's a chance that this might not work out and I would die without your friendship but I can't keep going on, pretending there's nothing going on between us." He rubbed away a tear off her face, "I want to make this work."

Angie straightened up, "I do too. You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you tell me that you love me."

Rollie laughed as he moved his lips softly to hers, "I wish it hadn't taken me so bloody long."

He kissed her softly, his tongue slowly parting her lips, as the kiss deepened, Angie's body melted into his, her hands moved from his face down his chest, running her hands over the muscles.

Rollie was completely lost in the kiss, craving more he lifted her so her legs were wrapped around his body and moved outside to the couch. He laid her down and straddled her left leg. He broke the kiss putting his finger to his lips, reminding her they were being listened to. He would have loved to move to the bed but for that stupid video camera.

He was about to explore her neck with his mouth when Angie said, "Rollie as much as I'd love to do this, we should probably get back downstairs to the other guests." She made her left fingers into a circle and with the other hand, made a fist and moved it circular, mimicking an old fashioned video camera.

Rollie nodded but didn't move off her, he smiled and kissed her neck, "You think they would miss us for a few more minutes?" His lips moved to suck gently on her earlobe.

Angie was about to object when he felt his hand sneak under her shirt, "Maybe a few more minutes," she breathed.


	8. 8

Chapter Eight

            "Oh, I think I must have broken my ankle." Angie sat sprawled out on the floor, giving the near-by guard her best helpless look.

            The third floor guard simply stared at her for a few seconds then grunted and moved towards her. "What's the problem Ma'am?"

            Angie looked sadly into the man's eyes, "I was being so stupid, I know I can't walk properly in these shoes but…they just look so nice on me. Anyways, I tripped and now I can't seem to move it. Will you help me to my room?"

            The guard looked unnerved, after all he wasn't supposed to leave his spot.

            Angie batted her eyelashes, "Please would you, I'm so terribly embarrassed."

            The guard nodded finally and helped her to her feet, "Why don't we take the elevator?" He suggested.

            "That would be great." Better than great, now she could plant a camera in there.

            Meanwhile, Rollie snuck out of a near-by closet and over to the office which held the secret door. He pressed a button on his PDA/calculator that would cause the video of the office to be one that was previously recorded and was now looped.

An hour before, Rollie had happened to walk by an empty security office because an  alarm had gone off on the perimeter. That he owed to Mira. Then he'd quickly found the stored tapes, the guy recorded and kept all camera footage, and set them up so they'd loop when he pushed a button on his PDA. He'd also hardwired a tiny black box to the system that his PDA could transmit to it.

He plugged the PDA into the lock and the door opened with a click. He quickly went in silently and glanced around for the best spot to put the camera, he found one, right by the door, as the 'door' was directly across from it.

As soon as the guard had got her to her room and Angie had protested to a doctor, she went to the bathroom, turning on the jetted-tub this time and opened her 'compact' to checked the third floor cameras where Rollie had placed one just outside the office door and one at the end of the hallway. She checked for guards, seeing none she waited for Rollie's signal.

It came seconds later, "Am I clear?" He asked through her PDA.

"You're clear."

Rollie quietly came out of the office, there were still people's rooms on this level and he didn't need to alert anyone. He pushed another button on his PDA, turning the looping video tape off and stuck his 'calculator' back in his pocket.

He was almost at the end of the hallway when he ran into a guard coming out the elevator. Rollie stopped, "Hey, have you seen my fiancée? She's got short blonde hair and a light blue dress on."

The guard nodded, "Yeah, I just helped her to her room, she'd hurt her ankle."

Rollie shook his head, "I told her not to wear those damned heels, " he muttered, walking off.

When Rollie came into the room, he heard the jets of the tub going, he knocked on the door and then slowly opened it.

"You can come in," Angie said, smiling.

Rollie closed the door behind him but didn't move any closer, "I heard you broke your ankle." He wasn't completely convinced that the jets were loud enough to block out the bug.

"Oh yeah, silly me," she joked.

Rollie couldn't keep his mind off the fact that, even though she was covered by sweet scented bubbles, she was completely naked under them.

"You know, you can come over here now," she teased.

Rollie sauntered over to her head, trying to keep his attention on her face. "I think we have something with liquids."

"Why is that?" Angie toyed with the collar of his shirt.

"Well the first time, it was a matter of you consuming way too many liquids,"

"I told you I was sorry about that."

Rollie kissed her forehead, "Don't be. I'm certainly not. And then there was last night."

Angie ran her fingers down the row of buttons on his shirt, "Yeah, I remember something about that."

"And then now."

Angie sat up in the tub, moving her lips closer to his, unknowingly exposing her breasts but Rollie definitely noticed. "Then there must be." She kissed him hard, catching him in a frantic, sensual kiss.

"Angie," he breathed. "As much as I want this," he looked down at her partly exposed body, "And I most definitely do, I want to wait until later."

Angie agreed, "Okay, let me just finish up here and maybe we can do some 'osculating' on the couch out there."

Rollie laughed, then looked at her body again, "You sure you don't need any help?"

Angie laughed and splashed water at him, "Get out."


	9. 9

Chapter Nine

            "Rollie, come here a second."

            They were in the main room of their suite, not wanting to be caught by the camera in the bedroom. Angie was watching the various cameras they had set up throughout the house through her PDA and Rollie was messaging Mira through his.

            Rollie looked over her shoulder at the PDA but was careful not to say anything because of the bug in the room, as they watched someone board the elevator.

            When Angie had 'hurt' her ankle on the third floor she'd put a camera in the elevator, which was usually off limits to guests and she'd put one outside the elevator on her floor and later on the main floor. All of the cameras were at an angle that they could see the keypads that the specific codes had to be punched into before one could gain access to the elevator.

            Angie had already written down the code to gain entry into the elevator, which the camera's angle had gotten perfectly. They watched, now, as a man punched in another code inside the elevator, to get it to move.

            As the elevator descended, the man turned, unknowingly, to face the camera, Rollie recognized the man as Tom Schroeder, one of the guests he'd met. Rollie messaged the name to Mira as they continued to watch the elevator.

            After a few minutes, the elevator stopped and Schroeder got off and walked into a dark hallway.

            "Well, that's that," Rollie said, disappointed that they couldn't see more. "Isn't it time we got that ankle checked out?"

            Angie smiled, "Yes, I think it is." They were going to use her ankle as an excuse to go see a doctor and get in touch with Mira.

            Derek Edison supplied them a car and driver but was disappointed that they wouldn't take him up on his offer to have a doctor come to the house and check it out. Angie had declined, saying she was more comfortable seeing her own doctor, as it was a recurring injury.  

            The driver stayed in the car but they still exercised caution by waiting in line to get into a room.

            "We are pulling you guys out, now." Mira told them almost as soon as they entered the private room the doctor's office had kindly lent to the police.

            Mira shoved an 8X10 picture at Rollie and Angie, "This is David Burch, he's a cop. He was killed last night by the man that we saw getting onto the elevator earlier." She turned to Rollie, "His name _is Tom Schroeder but he's not the stock broker he claims to be. He's a hired killer._

            "Edison has to know by now that the man that he ordered Schroeder to kill last night was a cop, so now he knows we're onto him. He's going to start suspecting everyone at that party and if he finds out what you two are doing…"

            "Why did Edison get this cop killed?" Rollie asked.

            Gatti answered for him, "Someone from another precinct somehow managed an invitation to this party, they had no idea we were already on it. We think Edison must have discovered Burch was a cop and killed him at the house. His body was dumped along the river, easy to be found."

            Angie connected her eyes with Rollie and they made a mutual decision without even having to speak, "If this guy is willing to kill people," Rollie said. "Then he has to be stopped before he does it again," he paused. "And we are the only ones to stop him."

            Mira had expected an argument but this time she wasn't going to relent. She was about to slap some handcuffs on them, the only way she knew to get them to come with her, when someone burst into the room.

            "The driver's at the front he wants to know what's going and he's coming this way."

            "Mierda," Mira cursed in Spanish.

            Rollie grabbed Angie and they exited the room with a 'don't worry' glance at Mira.

            Just as the driver was about to get to the room, Rollie almost ran into him. "Don't worry, it's just twisted. She's just being a baby." Rollie stage-whispered to the driver.

            As Angie convincingly limped out of the office, the driver seemed to relax until he heard Rollie speak again.

            "Ang, love, maybe we should just take you home."

            Angie inwardly cringed, he wasn't about to ditch her. "What and let you have all the fun? No thank you." Angie walked with more confidence in her step than before.

            They were in this together, till the bitter end, Rollie accepted.


End file.
